As they have several times in recent years, Arapahoe County voters will see the names Nancy Doty and Daniel Kagan on their ballots this fall. But the two longtime local politicians will show up in a different spot this go around. Doty, a Republican and current Arapahoe County commissioner, and Kagan, who represents House District 3 in the legislature, are squaring off to represent State Senate District 26. Incumbent Linda Newell, a Democrat, is leaving office due to term limits. The district cuts a jagged line across Arapahoe County, running from Sheridan Boulevard on the western edge all the way past Parker Road on the east. It includes a chunk of south Aurora and several other cities, including Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, Sheridan and Littleton.
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By BRANDON JOHANSSON, Staff writer
Local public servants vie for vacant seat in Senate District 26
After two terms in the Colorado State Senate, Democrat Linda Newell is leaving office due to term limits.
That means state Senate District 26 — which covers parts of Aurora and several other cities in Arapahoe County — will have a new Senator when the session gavels in next year.
The two candidates vying for Newell’s seat have both had success in local elections in the past.
Democrat Daniel Kagan has served in the state House since 2009, representing the Cherry Hills Village-centered House District 3. Kagan was appointed to his seat in 2009 and later re-elected.
On the Republican side, Arapahoe County Commissioner Nancy Doty is vying for the post Newell is leaving behind.
The district has leaned toward Democrats in recent years, but Doty has been elected countywide multiple times, first as clerk and recorder for two terms before she became a county commissioner.
On the issues, the pair differ on the state’s 2013 gun-control measures — Doty said she would vote to repeal them, Kagan wouldn’t.
The candidates also differ on the death penalty. Kagan said he would vote to repeal capital punishment in Colorado, something lawmakers have come close to doing in the past.
Doty said she supports the current law.
“With the amount of due process our legal system affords violent criminals, I am comfortable leaving capital punishment as an option for judges and prosecutors,” she said.
Kagan said that when it comes to fixing the state’s roads, state lawmakers had a solution last year when they could have used revenue from the hospital provider fee to cover road improvements. But that measure failed in the state Senate.
If he wins and the measure is before lawmakers again, Kagan said he would back it.
Doty said she would want to see specific projects and know how much they would cost before she agreed to seeking more funding. Even then, Doty said, the voters need to have a say if the state is going to increase revenue for roads.
As for the race at the top of the ballot, Kagan said he will be backing Hillary Clinton for president.
“My values do not align with Trump’s and I think he would be a disaster for our country,” he said.
Doty hasn’t said who she will vote for in the presidential race, but said she will vote.
“I consider my vote private and everyone’s vote to be a private decision,” she said.
The district is a diverse one, covering swaths of Aurora and Centennial as well as a chunk of western Arapahoe County.
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A native of Wisconsin, Nancy Doty has been a fixture in Arapahoe County politics for more than a decade. She served as Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder, overseeing the county’s elections, before running for and winning a seat on the Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners. Her commissioner district covers much of western Arapahoe County.
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Born and raised in England, Daniel Kagan came to the United States in 1975 and became a citizen nine years later. He is a lawyer and has represented House District 3 in the state legislature since 2009. The district is centered around CHerry Hills Village. Kagan is married and has three children.
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Would you vote to end capital punishment in Colorado? I would not vote to overturn Colorado’s capital punishment law. With the amount of due process our legal system affords violent criminals, I am comfortable with leaving capital punishment as an option for judges and prosecutors.
How should the state pay for substantial expansion of state roads? The only plan I would support is one that clearly outlines the cost, provides legislative oversight, focuses on our most urgent infrastructure priorities, and give the taxpayers the right to decide by their vote.
Should the state cede some local control of fracking to counties and municipalities? How much? I support the conclusions reached by the Governor’s O & G Task Force. Their community outreach process involved qualified appointees from diverse backgrounds and hundreds of hours of testimony from citizens across Colorado for nearly six months. They made several recommendations that will protect communities and secure the property rights of oil and gas owners and operators. I am a proponent of a strong regulatory environment administered and enforced by the State of Colorado
Should Colorado repeal gun-control laws from 2013? I support the 2nd amendment. I will vote to give people the right to protect themselves with a firearm.
Would you support a bill to ban red-light traffic cameras? Yes.
Would you support a measure to ask voters to re-write the Taxpayer Bill of Rights to require a vote on tax increases, but to remove all other state budget restrictions? I support TABOR and would carefully look at any proposal to improve, expand or override the important taxpayer protections it includes.
Should a revised presidential primary system allow for non-affiliated voters to vote for party candidates? No. Currently an unaffiliated voter can vote in a primary election by selecting a party and then receive a ballot for that election.
Will you vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or someone else? Yes. I consider my vote private and everyone’s vote to be a private decision.
Should the state prevent counties, schools and municipalities from barring transgender people from using restrooms and locker rooms for sexes other than what appears on their birth certificates? Yes.
What one thing, above all, would you ask fellow lawmakers to do or change to increase student performance on standardized tests? Per my discussions with the Superintendents in Senate District 26, they all feel that there should be no more changes. They want time to adjust to what is currently required.
[/wc_accordion_section] [wc_accordion_section title=”Daniel Kagan’s issue questions and responses“]
Would you vote to end capital punishment in Colorado? Yes.
How should the state pay for substantial expansion of state roads? Through a bipartisan bill in the 2016 session, the re-classification of the Hospital Provider Fee, we could have accomplished a substantial expansion of transportation projects including state roads, without raising taxes. That bill failed in the state Senate, but I would support it again in 2017.
Should the state cede some local control of fracking to counties and municipalities? How much? The state should indeed cede some local control of fracking to counties and municipalities, but not so much that localities can ban or impose moratoria on fracking. The key is to allow local governments to minimize the impact of fracking by, for example, enacting reasonable setbacks from homes.
Should Colorado repeal gun-control laws from 2013? No.
Would you support a bill to ban red-light traffic cameras? A total ban? No. A partial ban, where they’re being used unfairly, or merely to raise revenue rather than promote safety? Absolutely.
Would you support a measure to ask voters to re-write the Taxpayer Bill of Rights to require a vote on tax increases, but to remove all other state budget restrictions? Yes. In the past decade, we have grievously underfunded vital services like K-12 education, colleges and mental health care, largely because of TABOR restrictions on how we can deploy state revenues. But the requirement for voter pre-approval of tax increases should stay.
Should a revised presidential primary system allow for non-affiliated voters to vote for party candidates? Caucuses have not been working well, and everybody knows it. To get more people involved in the candidate selection process, I would support switching to primaries. I am not yet convinced, however, that non-members should be allowed to vote in a party’s primary.
Will you vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or someone else? My values do not align with Trump’s and I think he would be a disaster for our country. I support Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump and will do my part to ensure she is elected.
Should the state prevent counties, schools and municipalities from barring transgender people from using restrooms and locker rooms for sexes other than what appears on their birth certificates? Since 2008, Colorado law has allowed transgender people — including students — to use the bathroom that reflects their gender identity, and there hasn’t been one instance of a transgender person assaulting anyone in a bathroom in our state.
We have a responsibility to ensure that our young people have the opportunity to get a great education in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence, whoever they are, and wherever they live.
What one thing, above all, would you ask fellow lawmakers to do or change to increase student performance on standardized tests? Reduce the sheer volume of testing, and avoid the temptation to micromanage our schools.
[/wc_accordion_section] [wc_accordion_section title=”LIGHTER SIDE: Nancy Doty’s personality questions and responses“]
What food do you hate most? Liver.
Do you indulge in recreational marijuana? No.
Who would play you in a movie about your life? My sister.
What Olympic Sport do you wish you could win gold at? Ping Pong.
What was your favorite childhood candy? Butterfingers.
If you could be an eyewitness to one event in history, what would it be? Signing of the Declaration of Independence.
If the Secret Service gave you a code name, what would it be? Hard Worker.
If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you sing? Car karaoke counts. “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
What epitaph would you like written on your tombstone? It is well with my soul.
Is a hot dog a sandwich? Yes.
What is the last concert you attended? Celine Dion.
What movie do you never tire of watching? “Madam X”
Dogs or cats? Dogs.
What’s the most overrated thing about living in Colorado? The sever winters!
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What food do you hate most? Cilantro.
Do you indulge in recreational marijuana? Not any more.
Who would play you in a movie about your life? Hugh Grant.
What Olympic Sport do you wish you could win gold at? Downhill skiing.
What was your favorite childhood candy? Milky Way.
If you could be an eyewitness to one event in history, what would it be? The moon landing.
If the Secret Service gave you a code name, what would it be? Deckhand.
If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you sing? Car karaoke counts. “The Long and Winding Road”
What epitaph would you like written on your tombstone? Born in England, Made in America.
Is a hot dog a sandwich? Of course not. A sandwich has two pieces of bread. A hot dog has one.
What is the last concert you attended? Van Morrison.
What movie do you never tire of watching? “The Jungle Book”
Dogs or cats? Dogs.
What’s the most overrated thing about living in Colorado? The Rockies’ record.
[/wc_accordion_section] [wc_accordion_section title=”Nancy Doty’s campaign finance“]
Click here for Nancy Doty campaign finances
[/wc_accordion_section] [wc_accordion_section title=”Daniel Kagan’s campaign finance“]
Click here for Daniel Kagan campaign finances
[/wc_accordion_section] [wc_accordion_section title=”Nancy Doty’s endorsements“]
[/wc_accordion_section] [wc_accordion_section title=”Daniel Kagan’s endorsements“]
Not available.
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